What better way to make parents pick up a children’s book than to take us back to our own childhood? This cover sparks an immediate connection and compels you to pick up the book and turn it over. It’s also incredibly beautiful in its simplicity and modern magical realism.
The foreground cyclist is a contemporary, streetwise, unusual child – perfect for the target market; her stance adds pace and adventure. What about that font? A controversial – pretty unreadable — choice, but I think it works. The main image grabs your attention; the font forces you to study and unpick the title. It’s naive and unformed, in a satisfying contrast to the image, hinting in a tension between adult and child worlds in the book.
This is as yet unreleased – I just hope that, on publication, Quercus aren’t tempted to cover it with reviews and spoil this delicate balance.
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